Koa Kaakimaka v. State of Hawaii - Certiorari Accepted

Hawaii Supreme Court

Filed March 4th, 2026

Detected March 5th, 2026

Summary

The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii has accepted a writ of certiorari for Koa Kaakimaka. The court will schedule oral arguments and requires supplemental briefing on the sufficiency of evidence for a conviction of violation of privacy in the first degree.

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What changed

The Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii has accepted an application for a writ of certiorari in the case of State of Hawaii v. Koa Kaakimaka (SCWC-22-0000690). The court will schedule oral arguments and has ordered both parties to submit supplemental briefing, not exceeding fifteen pages, on the specific question of whether sufficient evidence was presented to convict Kaakimaka of violation of privacy in the first degree under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 711-1110.9(1)(a).

This acceptance of certiorari means the case will proceed to further review by the state's highest court. The parties have thirty days from the order date (March 4, 2026) to file their supplemental briefs. This action requires legal counsel for both the petitioner and respondent to prepare and submit detailed legal arguments focused on the evidentiary standard for the specific privacy violation charge. No responses to these supplemental briefs will be permitted.

What to do next

File supplemental brief within 30 days of March 4, 2026
Prepare for oral argument scheduling

Source document (simplified)

Electronically Filed Supreme Court SCWC-22-0000690 04-MAR-2026 12:48 PM Dkt. 23 OGAC SCWC-22-0000690 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAI ‘ I STATE OF HAWAI ‘ I, Respondent/Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. KOA KAAKIMAKA, Petitioner/Defendant-Appellant. CERTIORARI TO THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS (CAAP-22-0000690; CASE NO. 3CPC-21-0000224) ORDER ACCEPTING APPLICATION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI (By: McKenna, Acting C.J., Eddins, Ginoza, and Devens, JJ., and Circuit Judge Souza, assigned by reason of vacancy) Petitioner/Defendant-Appellant Koa Kaakimaka’s application for writ of certiorari filed on January 21, 2026, is accepted and will be scheduled for oral argument. The parties will be notified by the appellate clerk regarding scheduling. It is further ordered that the parties shall submit supplemental briefing on the following: Was there sufficient evidence to convict Koa Kaakimaka of violation of privacy in the first degree under Hawai ʻ i Revised Statutes § 711 -1 1 10.9(1)(a)?

Within thirty days from the date of this order, each party shall file a supplemental brief, not exceeding fifteen pages in length, exclusive of title page(s), indices, appendices, and certificate of service. No responses shall be filed. DATED: Honolulu, Hawai ʻ i, March 4, 2026. /s/ Sabrina S. McKenna /s/ Todd W. Eddins /s/ Lisa M. Ginoza /s/ Vladimir P. Devens /s/ Kevin A. Souza 2